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Elizabeth Montagu (née Willmot), Countess of Sandwich

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Elizabeth Montagu (née Willmot), Countess of Sandwich

by John Smith, after Jan van der Vaart
mezzotint, 1688
13 1/2 in. x 9 3/4 in. (342 mm x 249 mm) plate size; 13 7/8 in. x 10 1/8 in. (352 mm x 258 mm) paper size
Purchased with help from the Friends of the National Libraries and the Pilgrim Trust, 1966
Reference Collection
NPG D4159

Sitterback to top

Artistsback to top

  • John Smith (1652-1743), Engraver. Artist associated with 1180 portraits, Sitter in 4 portraits.
  • Jan van der Vaart (1647-1721), Artist. Artist associated with 52 portraits.

Related worksback to top

  • NPG D4158: Elizabeth Montagu (née Willmot), Countess of Sandwich (from same plate)
  • NPG D11629: Elizabeth Montagu (née Willmot), Countess of Sandwich (from same plate)
  • NPG D30996: Elizabeth Montagu (née Willmot), Countess of Sandwich (from same plate)

Portrait setback to top

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1688back to top

Current affairs

The Glorious Revolution. Senior statesmen, increasingly resentful of James's assault upon liberties of his subjects, invite William III of Orange to invade England. Their action is spurred on by the acquittal of seven bishops who refused to read James II's declaration of indulgence from their pulpits. James flees into exile.

Art and science

George Savile, Marquess of Halifax, publishes his political tract, The Character of a Trimmer, written 1685, which urged Charles II to shake off his brother's influence.
Writer, Aphra Behn, publishes Oroonoko, often considered to be an abolitionist treatise.


International

Nine Years' War. Threatened by William III's invasion of England and possible alliance of Protestant European states under his helm, Louis XIV sends French troops into the Rhineland. This pre-emptive strike ignites a war of attrition, and institutes a coalition of European states united in attempting to halt expansionist France.

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